Lake, Rizzo HR, lead Arrieta, Cubs over Cardinals

CHICAGO — Junior Lake and Anthony Rizzo homered, leading Jake Arrieta and the Chicago Cubs past the St. Louis Cardinals 3-0 Saturday for their season-best third win in a row.

A day after the Cubs tagged St. Louis ace Adam Wainwright, they came back to beat Michael Wacha (2-3).

The Cubs have their longest winning streak since a three-game sweep of San Francisco in late July.

Arrieta struck out seven over 5 1/3 innings in his season debut, giving up four hits. The right-hander was activated from the disabled list before the game, having been out because of shoulder stiffness.

Chicago’s bullpen combined to pitch 3 2/3 scoreless innings. Brian Schlitter (1-0) got two outs for the win and Hector Rondon worked around a pair of leadoff singles in the ninth for his third save.

Lake hit a two-run homer in the sixth for a 2-0 lead. Along with his third homer, Lake also doubled in going 3 for 3.

Rizzo led off the eighth with sixth home run, and third in three games. He connected on the first pitch he saw from Randy Choate.

Yadier Molina and Jhonny Peralta opened the St. Louis ninth with singles off Rondon. But he got Jon Jay to hit into a double play and struck out Mark Ellis.

Arrieta walked two and threw 82 pitches. The Cardinals put five runners on base through the first three innings, but escaped.

Arrieta struck out Molina to strand runners on the corners in first. The Cardinals put two on with no outs in the second before Greg Garcia struck out, Wacha grounded out and shortstop Starlin Castro made an over-the-shoulder catch on Matt Carpenter’s popup.

The Cubs loaded the bases in the fifth, and Wacha fell behind in the count 2-0 against Rizzo before getting him on an inning-ending grounder.